Can opener with automatic cutter disengagement

ABSTRACT

A heavy duty can opener having a base upon which is mounted an operating motor connected to a rotatable feed means which engages the under side of the seam of the can for rotating the can beneath a stationary cutting element wherein the cutting element will engage the top of the can adjacent the inner vertical surface of the seam and opposite the feed wheel for cutting out the top end of the can adjacent the seam for removing the same, including a support for supporting the opposite end of the can during the cutting operation, and a can support adjustment means so that different size cans for which the machine is designed may be freely rotated beneath the cutting element.

United States Patent 1m Smith [451 Apr. 22, 1975 CAN OPENER WITIIAUTOMATIC CUTTER DISENGAGEMENT [76] Inventor: Ernest W. Smith, 965Collington Ave.. Baltimore. Md. 21205 22 Filed: Dec. 10,1973

21 App1.No.:423,495

[52] US. Cl 30/4 R; 30/64; 30/10 [51] Int. Cl B67b 7/38 [58] Field ofSearch 30/4 R, 6.4, 8, 85, 9

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,000,095 9/1961 Moran 30/4R 3,066,409 12/1962 Smith.....

3,114,972 12/1963 Landry 3,698,084 10/1972 Peterson 3.798.764 3/1974Yamamoto 30/4 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS France 30/6.4

Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-Gary L. SmithAttorney. Agent, or F irm-J Wesley Everett [57] ABSTRACT A heavy dutycan opener having a base upon which is mounted an operating motorconnected to a rotatable feed means which engages the under side of theseam of the can for rotating the can beneath a stationary cuttingelement wherein the cutting element will engage the top of the canadjacent the inner vertical surface of the seam and opposite the feedwheel for cutting out the top end of the can adjacent the seam forremoving the same, including a support for supporting the opposite endof the can during the cutting operation, and a can support adjustmentmeans so that different size cans for which the machine is designed maybe freely rotated beneath the cutting element.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PIJENIEB APRZZIHTS SnLU 1 Of 2 PLIEWEEAFRZZWSSHEET 2 BF 2 FIG. 4

CAN OPENER WITH AUTOMATIC CUTTER DISENGAGEMENT The present inventionrelates to a heavy duty can opener that may be used for opening cans ofvarious sizes.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this naturecapable of removing the top ends of cans of various sizes, which may bequickly and easily adjusted to the various size cans.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwherein the device itself is simple and easy to operate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter in which the timing of its operation for different size cansis made by a positively driven timing means.

While several objects of the invention have been set forth, otherobjects, uses and advantages will become more apparent as the nature ofthe device is more fully described in the following description withreference to the accompanying drawings. in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the device.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a mechanical and electrical schematic diagram of the device.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the can supporting means.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, the numeral represents theapparatus as a whole which may take any convenient form. The device isprovided with a base 12 for supporting the can operating mechanism 13.The device is operated preferably by an electric motor 22 whichoperation is transferred to the can opening mechanism 13 by a belt 18,or the motor may be connected directly to the main drive shaft 20. Themotor is shielded by a shield 14 and the can opening assembly 13 isshielded by a shield 16. The can opening assembly 13 is supportedupwardly from the base by a support 19 having preferably an elongatedslot 19'. The support 19 also supports a can supporting assembly 17which is adapted to slide vertically on the support 19 and be held in apredetermined vertical position by a set screw 61 extending within theslot 19'.

The can opening assembly 13 is provided with a main drive shaft 20 whichis operated by the motor 22. On one end of the shaft 20 is a can feedingwheel 23 which is adapted to engage the underside of the top seamholding the top portion of the can to the main body portion. The feedwheel 23 also guides the top of the can into proper position to beengaged by a stationary cutting blade 25 when the cutting blade is incutting position, as shown in FIG. 1.

The cutting blade 25 and the handle 27 are rigidly fixed to each otherand are hingedly mounted on the end of the shaft 21 in the bearings 29and 29. When the handle 27 is raised as indicated by R in FIG 3, thecutting blade is rotated out of contact with the top of the can to allowa can to be inserted or removed from the feed roll 23.

The handle 27 is provided with a knob 27' for manually operating thecutting blade in and out of operating position. The handle is normallyheld in its upright position as shown at R in FIG. 3, which raises thecutting blade 23 out of cutting position with the can top. When the beadof the can is in place on the feed wheel 23, the handle is broughtforward, or lowered, as indicated at R in FIG. 3 wherein the cuttingelement 25 pierces the top of the can and the machine is set inoperation. The handle 27 is automatically raised when the cuttingoperation has continued for a predetermined period which will bereferred to more in detail hereinafter.

The time of the cutting period is regulated by a timing wheel 28 whichis operated by a gear 24 carried on the drive shaft 20. and an idle gear26 which in turn operates the timing wheel 28. The timing wheel isrotatable about a shaft 31 and is provided with a plurality of openings30. Also freely rotatable on the shaft 31 is a bracket having a springloaded pin 32 which is adapted to extend through and beyond a selectedopening 30 in the timing wheel 28. The outer end of the pin 32 isprovided with a knob 34 for manually placing the pin in one of theselected holes. The inner end 32 of the pin normally extends throughhole 30 to a position to engage the member 37. When the end 32' engagesthe bracket 37 the handle 27 is rotated upwardly into the position shownat R whereby the cutting blade 25 is moved out of engagement with thecan top when the cutting time has expired. As the handle is rotatedupwardly the handle contacts a suitable button 39 of the electric switch41 breaking the electric circuit to the motor 22 thereby stopping theoperation.

, The speed of the timing wheel and the hole in which the pin 32 isdeposited determine the timing of the operation.

It will be noted that the bracket 35 is also provided with an arm 36having one end freely hinged to the bracket at a point 35 and having aslot 36' extending part way through the arm at its opposite end. the armbeing so positioned on the bracket that the slot 36' will be in linewith the pin 32. The pin 32 has fixed to its outer end a knob 34 bywhich the pin may be retracted by pulling outwardly on the knob. The arm36 may then be swung around so that the slot 36' engages the pin 32between the inner surface of the knob and the outer surface of theshoulder 34. This will withdraw the inner end 32' of the pin 32 to apredetermined position. The arm 36 will be held in place beneath theknob 34 by the pressure of the spring located in the pin 32.

The timing of the operation of the machine is controlled by the timingwheel 28 which is provided. as previously stated, with a plurality ofholes 30 into which the pin 32 is manually inserted for differentperiods of operating time. The timing is also controlled by the size andspeed of the timing wheel as sufficient time must be had for the feedingwheel 23 to encircle the can top. The speed of the timing wheel may bestepped up or down depending on the gear chain operating the wheel. Ifthe size and speed of the timing wheel is not sufficient to allow thefeeding wheel to encircle the can top, the timing wheel may be made tomake a second revolution which is shown in the present embodiment of theinvention.

In order to cause the timing wheel 28 to make a second revolution, thepin 32 is withdrawn as previously described, then the hinged arm 36,carried by the bracket 35, is manually rotated until the slot 36 engagesthe spring loaded pin 32 between the knob 34 and the shoulder 34'preventing the innner end 32' of the pin 32 from extending through thehole 30 in the timing wheel 28 to the point of engaging the member 37carried on the handle 27. However, the pin 32 must extend far enoughthrough the hole 30 in the timing wheel to cause both the pin and ,thebracket 35 to be rotated by the timing wheel. While the pin 32 is sowithdrawn and held by the arm 36 the pin 32 will not engage the member37 for disengaging the cutting element and stopping the operation of themachine. Therefore. the pin 32 must be released to its normal operatingposition after the timing wheel has made its first revolution.

ln order to release the arm 36 from the pin 32 so that the pin willextend through the hole a sufficient distance to engage the member 37,there is provided a vertical movable post 47 slidably mounted in thebracket 43 fixed to the frame of the machine having a pin 38 extendinglaterally from the top of the post 47 of such length and so positionedas to engage the arm 36 as it is being rotated by the timing wheel afterthe timing wheel has made a single revolution. The pin 38 will contactthe arm 36 and move the arm to a point where the slot 36' is moved outof engagement with the pin 32 allowing the pin 32 to advance through thehole 30 to its normal position to engage the member 37 attached to thearm 27 raising the arm on the second revolution of the timing wheel todisengage the cutting element and stop the machine. In order to hold thepost 47 in adjusted position there is a spring loaded pin 43'. If it isnot necessary to have the timing wheel make a second revolution then thepost 47 is lowered to a point where the pin 38 is out of position tocontact the arm 36.

Referring again to the can opening assembly 13 there is provided on thecutting element unit a shoulder 25 immediately above the feed wheel 23which. when the cutting element 25' is not in cutting position. isspaced away from the feeding wheel the approximate distance of theheight of the seam of the can for holding the seam in contact with thefeeding wheel. When the cutting element is rotated out of cuttingposition the shoulder 25' is also rotated out of position over the feedwheel to allow for easy placing or removing the can seam over the feedwheel.

The top of the can when severed from the can body is supported by amagnet 70 which is arranged to contact the can top during the cuttingoperation when the arm is in its lowered position. The magnet issupported by the arm 72 which is turn is fixed to a toothed rack 74. Thetoothed rack is carried and supported upon an arm 76 which in turn isfixed to a sleeve 78 which is slidable along the horizontal arm 80 andheld in adjusted position by a spring loaded pin 82. On the arm 76 thereis also mounted a gear wheel 84 and fixed to the gear wheel 84 is aslotted arm 86 and fixed to the arm 27 is an elongated pin 88 which isadapted to operate within the slotted arm 86. This arrangement is togive the magnet more travel for the limited movement of the arm 27. Asthe magnet should be adjacent the center of the top of the can theadjustment of the position of the magnet along the arm 80 will providethis means. When the handle 27 is raised the gear wheel 84 is rotated bythe pin 88 secured to the handle 27. As the gear wheel 84 is engagedwith the rack 74 the magnet will be moved upwardly removing the can topto a substantial distance above the upper edge of the can.

Referring again to the can supporting assembly the can support per se ispreferably in the form of a freely rotating disk 60 mounted on a bearing60, the disk and bearing being mounted on a sleeve 65 adapted to be ad-6 justable on the member 61 and held in position by the thumb screw allof which is supported on the main supporting element 19 previouslyreferred to. The disk may be of any convenient size and may be readilyremovable and replaced by different size disks to accommodate differentsize cans.

Referring again to the power unit. electric current is introducedthrough the electric conduits 48 and 49, switch 41 and the cord 50 tothe motor 22. The switch 41 is provided with a circuit breaker button 39which when depressed by the handle member 27 will interrupt the electriccurrent to the motor stopping the operation of the machine. The switch41 is further provided with a starting button 41 which is operatablefrom the front of the machine by the button 53 and the extension rod 52.

In operation, a can to be opened is placed upon the rotatable disk 60 ofthe can supporting assembly 17 and in a position to place the side ofthe can in line with the feed wheel 23 in which the uppermost portion ofthe feeding wheel rests against the under side of the seam of the canand beneath the shoulder 25'. The handle 27. which is normally in itsuppermost position at R, is moved downwardly to the position as shown atR in FIG. 3 which moves the cutting blade 25 into cutting positionthrough the top of the can adjacent the inside portion of the seam. Atthe same time the shoulder 25' is moved into position above the feedingwheel to contact the upper edge of the can seam for supporting the seamagainst the pressure of the feeding wheel. The pin 32 is placed into oneof the selected holes 30 beyond the arm 37 in the direction of therotation of the feed wheel setting the timing of the operation forcompletely severing the top from the can. The switch 41 is operated bymanually operating the button 41 which will close the electric circuitto the motor 22. However, the motor may be automatically operated by themovement of the handle 27 or other suitable means, if desired.

When the selected timing period is ended as previously described, thehandle 27 will be raised by the pin 32 engaging the bracket 37 movingthe handle to its upper position as shown at R in FIG. 3 which alsorotates the cutting element 25 from its cutting position to a positionabove the top of the can whereby the severed top may be removed. Thebracket 37 will engage the switch member 39 breaking the electriccircuit and stopping the operation.

The improved can opening machine is unique in its construction andsimple in its operation and is constructed to open most metal cans usedin the packaging of food and other products. While a single form of themachine is shown and described, it is not intended as a limitation andthe scope of the invention is best described in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A can opening machine comprising in combination:

a. a base:

b. a can opening mechanism including a frame for said mechanism and asingle support member for said frame having one end of the support fixedto the base and its opposite end fixed to the said frame;

c. a vertically adjustable can support table for said can carried onsaid frame supporting member and means for securing the can supportingtable in adjustable position thereon;

d. said can opening mechanism having a horizontal rotatable drive shaftin said frame and an electric motor connected to said shaft for rotatingthe same;

. a can feed wheel fixed adjacent one end of the drive shaft;

. a hinged top cutting element hingedl connected to the frame above thecan feeding wheel. the hinge point of the cutting element being suchthat when in one position the cutting element is in position to engagethe can top for cutting the same and when in another position is out ofcontact with the can move the cutting element out of cutting position.

1. A can opening machine comprising in combination: a. a base; b. a canopening mechanism including a frame for said mechanism and a singlesupport member for said frame having one end of the support fixed to thebase and its opposite end fixed to the said frame; c. a verticallyadjustable can support table for said can carried on said framesupporting member and means for securing the can supporting table inadjustable position thereon; d. said can opening mechanism having ahorizontal rotatable drive shaft in said frame and an electric motorconnected to said shaft for rotating the same; e. a can feed wheel fixedadjacent one end of the drive shaft; f. a hinged top cutting elementhingedly connected to the frame above the can feeding wheel, the hingepoint of the cutting element being such that when in one position thecutting element is in position to engage the can top for cutting thesame and when in another position is out of contact with the can top andout of cutting position with the top, and a handle means for rotatingthe cutting element in and out of cutting and noncutting positions; g. atiming wheel rotatable by the drive shaft at a predetermined lower speedthan the drive shaft and a releasable selecting means adapted to rotatewith the timing wheel for operating the handle means to move the cuttingelement out of cutting position.